Monday, April 9, 2018

The Vail Public Safety Communications Center is asking for the community’s help as it prepares to test two emergency warning notification systems during the first week of May. The Wireless Emergency Alert notification is a federal system that allows local agencies to send alerts to cell phones in the area, even if they haven’t subscribed to the local EC Alert notification system. View frequently asked questions on the system at www.eaglecounty.us/emergency/emergency_notifications.

Emergency management officials plan to initiate the local wireless alert test at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 2 within Vail’s boundaries. This is the same notification in which Amber Alerts are sent to disseminate information about a missing person. During the test, anyone with a cell phone within Vail - residents, employees, guests and travelers on Interstate 70 between milemarkers 172 and 182 - should expect to receive the following alert: “EC EMO: TEST emergency message. Go to ec-e.org to provide feedback. No other action needed.” Variable message signs on I-70 will be used to alert travelers of the local test. In the event of a real emergency, this test will be postponed to another date.

Recipients of the test alert will be asked to assist the 911 call center by completing a short survey that will be included in the test message. This includes information about when they received the message as well as their physical location. To encourage participation, survey-takers will be entered in a prize drawing in which multiple $100 gift cards will be awarded.

Also on May 2, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., residents of West Vail may hear test messages broadcast over a speaker system as officials evaluate the effectiveness of a long range acoustic device that will be temporarily installed at the West Vail Fire Station. The device is a powerful, directional speaker that has the ability to be heard a quarter mile away. The test messages may also be audible inside buildings and will last 15 seconds at a time with a pre-recorded message: “This is a test of an emergency notification system, no action is required.”